SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its volleyball players of the week Monday for games played Sept. 27-Oct. 3. ETSU right side hitter Sara Esposito has been named the Offensive Player of the Week, Mercer middle hitter Rayanne de Oliveira has been tabbed Defensive Player of the Week, and The Citadel freshman Belle Hogan has been named the Setter of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office. 
 
Esposito averaged 4.62 kills per set and hit .337 on the week as ETSU went 2-0 with road wins at Furman and at The Citadel. In a 3-1 win over the Paladins on Saturday, the senior tallied a career-high 15 kills, tied for the match high, and hit .278 with a dig and three block assists. A day later, the Venezia, Italy, native set a new career high, tallying a match-high 22 kills in the four-set victory over the Bulldogs. She hit .383 in the match and added five digs, one assist and one block assist in the match.
 
de Oliveira averaged 1.44 blocks per set and hit .302 on the offensive end as Mercer picked up a pair of wins at Western Carolina and UNCG. The senior from Pocos de Caldas, Brazil, hit .407 with 11 kills, two digs, two service aces and four block assists in a 3-1 win over the Catamounts on Friday. The next day, de Oliveira tallied a match-high 14 kills, four service aces, four digs, and nine blocks as the Bears won 3-2, handing UNCG its first conference loss and first home loss of the season.
 
Hogan averaged 10.09 assists per set as The Citadel went 2-1 on the week. The Fort Wayne, Indiana, native dished out a match-high 41 assists and finished with nine digs, just shy of a double-double, in a 3-1 win over Wofford on Wednesday. Hogan finished with 28 assists, a match high, against Chattanooga on Saturday. She added 11 digs, earning a double-double, and contributed two service aces and two kills in the 3-0 sweep. She capped off the week with a match-high 42 assists, 13 digs and five blocks in a 3-1 loss to ETSU on Sunday.
 
After a pair of road matches, ETSU (6-9, 2-2 SoCon), returns to Brooks Gym to host Samford (3-12, 2-2) on Thursday, Oct. 7, and Mercer (7-8, 3-1) on Friday, Oct. 8. Mercer remains on the road, traveling to face ETSU on Friday and Chattanooga (5-12, 1-3) a day later. The Citadel (6-5, 2-3) has just one match on the week as the Bulldogs host Furman (6-7, 1-2) on Wednesday, Oct. 6.
 
Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Sharlissa De Jesus (The Citadel), Myra Mrus (Furman), Annie Karle (Mercer), Kayla White (UNCG), Chloe Bryan (Chattanooga), Merry Gebel (Western Carolina) and Sarah Barham (Wofford).

Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Taylor Roberts (ETSU), Andrea Aceveda (Furman), Jenna Wiggs (UNCG), Paige Gallentine (Chattanooga), Destinee Dorsey (Western Carolina) and Kaitlyn Brown (Wofford).

Also nominated for setter of the week: Sarah Turner (Furman), Agnieska Paskevic (Mercer), Gabriela McHugh (UNCG), Sarah Janourova (Western Carolina) and Emily Hodsdon (Wofford).  
 
2021 SoCon Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week
Aug. 30 Meghan Yaffa, R-Jr., OH, Wofford
Sept. 6  Maia Rackel, Jr., MB/RS, Chattanooga
Sept. 13 Sharlissa De Jesus, Sr., OH, The Citadel
Sept. 20 Kayla White, Gr., OH, UNCG
Sept. 27 Kayla White, Gr., OH, UNCG
Oct. 4 Sara Esposito, Sr., RS, ETSU

2021 SoCon Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week
Aug. 30 Megan Smith, Gr., LIB, Mercer
Sept. 6  Andrea Aceveda, Jr., LIB, Furman
Sept. 13 Destinee Dorsey, So., LIB, Western Carolina
Sept. 20 Kenzie Kellerman, Jr., LIB, The Citadel
Sept. 27 Destinee Dorsey, So., LIB, Western Carolina
Oct. 4 Rayanne de Oliveira, Sr., MH, Mercer

2021 SoCon Volleyball Setters of the Week
Aug. 30 Emily Hodsdon, So., Wofford
Sept. 6  Gabriela McHugh, Jr., UNCG
Sept. 13 Gabriela McHugh, Jr., UNCG
Sept. 20 Caroline Dykes, Fr., ETSU
Sept. 27 Caroline Dykes, Fr., ETSU
Oct. 4 Belle Hogan, Fr., The Citadel